Key Information
KELT-9
| Type | Star System |
| Star Type | B9.5-A0 (blue or white star) |
| Diameter | 2,015,748 miles |
| Temperature | 17,846 °F |
| Mass | 2.52 M☉ |
| Distance | 670 light years |
| Date of Discovery | Unknown |
| Other Names | HD 195689 |
| Planets | 1 |
Learning Point
- KELT-9 is a star located over 600 light-years away, with a scorching surface temperature exceeding 17,000 °F. It is slightly more massive than our sun and is home to KELT-9b, the hottest exoplanet currently known. This gas giant is tidally locked to its star, meaning one side is constantly bombarded with intense radiation, leading to an atmosphere that is slowly escaping into space.
Project
- Draw a picture of KELT-9 and the planet.
Location
| Located in | Cygnus constellation, within the Milky Way |
Fun Facts
- Forget lava, KELT-9’s surface temperature is a scorching 10,170 Kelvin (almost 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit) – way hotter than most stars!
- KELT-9 b is the hottest exoplanet ever discovered. Imagine a dayside temperature exceeding 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit – that’s hotter than most stars!
- The extreme heat from KELT-9 has caused KELT-9b’s atmosphere to inflate like a balloon, making it less dense than expected for a gas giant.
- Unlike our solar system, KELT-9b doesn’t orbit its star in the same plane. Imagine our planets orbiting sideways – that’s how weird KELT-9b’s orbit is!
Past Lessons
| 183 | July 2, 2024 | (North America) |